


Truth Is

by denim_chicken



Category: IT (2017), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Eddie is hiding his love for Richie, M/M, Reddie, Stupid overdone theme park story, Teen rating is for language, There's a Ferris wheel involved of course
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-03
Updated: 2019-06-02
Packaged: 2020-04-06 21:58:21
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,391
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19071493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/denim_chicken/pseuds/denim_chicken
Summary: In the summer before the Losers go off to college, Eddie starts acting strange around Richie and begins actively and deliberately avoiding him. Richie can’t quite figure out why. (AKA, Richie is an actual idiot dumbass that picks up on nothing).





	1. Chapter 1

Truth Is

A/N: I’m going to start this by saying I haven’t finished or posted a fanfic in probably seven years, so this is like a fresh start for me. I’ve also never once written for the IT fandom, or for the Reddie pairing, so apologies if this seems off-brand or out of character. I’d like to think that my college degree and near-completed Master’s degree would make this fic one of my best (you know, because education, and stuff), but I’m making no promises (I didn’t major in writing or English, after all). Nevertheless, I hope it brings you some joy, and your feedback is greatly appreciated!

 

“Absolutely fucking not.”

“Funny, that’s actually what your mom said to me last night when I suggested we do anal.”

“I cannot fucking _stand_ you.”

This was the immediate exchange that occurred between Richie and Eddie when Richie suggested that the Losers attend the grand opening of the new rollercoaster that was debuting at the Six Flags a few towns over.

“Lighten up Eds, it’s only a 17 foot vertical free-fall drop that goes up to 50 miles per hour and catapults you 65 feet in the air at a 70 degree angle.” Richie added, rather passively.

“Tell me Rich, how many times did you have to watch the commercial until you memorized that?” Bev added with a smirk, eliciting laughter from the rest of the crew.

Deciding to ignore Bev’s snide remark, Richie continued. “This might be the last chance we have to ride something as insane as this and still be able to blame it on the fact that we’re stupid teenagers! We’re 18 now, our years of being able to use that excuse are coming to a sweet, bitter end.”

Stan scoffed. “As if you won’t find other excuses to blame your idiocy on.”

Richie pointed an accusatory finger at Stan. “Hey, you don’t know what college might do to me, Staniel. When you see me over Thanksgiving break you might not recognize me.”

“If only.” Eddie muttered.

Richie approached Eddie, placing his hands on his shoulders and beginning to slowly and gently massage them, causing Eddie to squirm. Richie lowered his head towards Eddie’s ear. “What was that, sweetheart? Something you’d like to share?”

Despite the dull warmth growing in his lower abdomen and the sensation that _shit, this feels fucking amazing and I really wish this wasn’t happening in front of all our friends right now_ , Eddie quickly freed himself from Richie’s grasp and shoved him away.

“Don’t fucking touch me, ass hole!” Eddie spat, glaring in Richie’s general direction.

“Love you too, baby.” Richie retorted, blowing Eddie a kiss.

Eddie rolled his eyes and flipped Richie off, still glaring.

It was Bill who caught on to Eddie’s discomfort and decided to help alleviate some of his uneasiness.

“Alright Rich, I’ll bite. I’ve risked my life with you far too many times over the past 18 years as is, what’s one more time?”

“Alright, Billy Boy, the first taker! Which of the rest of you morons is feelin’ lucky?”

Bev begrudgingly raised her hand. “Sure, count me in. What have I got to lose, right?”

Ben shot her a look. “I take offense to that statement.”

Bev leaned over, planting a kiss on Ben’s cheek. “If you come at least then we die together.” She said sarcastically through a smile.

“That’s the spirit, Bevy!” Richie screeched with enthusiasm.

Ben sighed. “Nothing like the promise of dying together to get you to say yes.”

“Mikey? Stanny?” Richie said, his eyes gleaming.

Mike, refusing to look up from the book he had had his nose buried in and who had only been half listening, gave a brief thumbs-up.

Stan sighed and shook his head. “Fucking fine.”

Richie scooted over to Eddie again, getting down on one-knee as if he were about to propose, and took both of Eddie’s hands in his. “Spaghetti-O. Darling. My muse. Would you please do me the honor…of coming to Six Flags with us?”

Eddie snatched his hands away and stared Richie down, his eyebrows furrowed in frustration. A part of him wanted nothing more than to kick the glasses right off of Richie’s smug, dopey little face, yet the other part of him wanted to endlessly plant kisses all over it. Eddie hated himself for feeling this way about Richie Fucking Tozier, the idiot to beat all idiots.

He wanted to tell Richie off and leave to go wallow in self-pity over his ever-growing feelings for the dumbass. But he knew that would only further provoke Richie, who would continue to berate Eddie until he agreed to go. So Eddie decided on his go-to Tozier tactic: an ultimatum.

“If I go…” He began. “I’m not riding that fucking deathtrap rollercoaster. Four rides, and that’s it.”

“Make it five and we have a deal, Eds.”

“Call me that again and I’m not going.”

“You know I can’t make that promise, babycakes.”

Eddie crossed his arms, brow still furrowed at the taller boy.

“Four rides.”

Richie stood up and outstretched his hand to Eddie. “Offer accepted. It’s been a pleasure negotiating with you, Kaspbrak.”

Eddie smacked his hand away and rolled his eyes.

“How does this Saturday work for everyone?” Bev suggested, surveying the crew.

A collection of nods and “yeah, sure” seemed to suffice as an answer to Beverly’s question.

“Alas, cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war!” Richie proclaimed, throwing a victory fist in the air.

“That doesn’t make any sense, dickhole.” Stan added.

“For fuck’s sake Stan, let me have my moment.”

 

________________________________________________________________

 

“Eds! Eddie Spaghetti! My love!”

Eddie sighed deeply as he heard Richie’s voice trailing behind him.

Eddie had been quick to avoid Richie these days. His relationship with the other boy had grown complicated…well, at least for Eddie it had….and he felt it best to sort out his feelings _without_ Richie constantly aggravating and… _touching_ him.

Eddie figured he could safely make it to the convenience store down the street from his house without being caught by the dark-haired boy, but to no avail.

He continued walking, despite Richie having caught up to him, desperately trying not to pay attention to the fact that Richie’s biceps stood out incredibly when he only wore a t-shirt and didn’t have one of his signature, hideous Hawaiian shirts hanging off of him.

“Eddie boy, what’s the haps? You haven’t returned any of my calls and I haven’t seen you since Monday. I’m usually too hard to resist, especially for you.” Richie teased.

“Yeah, well…I’ve been busy.”

“Busy? With what, your mom? I’ve been your best friend for well over 10 years Eds, you think I don’t know that’s a bullshit excuse by now?"

Eddie shrugged. “I never said it was my mom. I never said it was anything specific.”

“What, you’re not like… _seeing_ someone, are you? You’d tell me if you were dating someone, right?” Eddie hadn’t seen Richie appear so genuinely concerned about something in a while. He tried not to feel the excitement that was brewing inside him over Richie’s potential jealousy of him dating someone.

“This is me we’re talking about Rich, let’s get real.”

“What, you don’t think you’re good enough to date?”

“Totally, just look at all the people lining up to go out with me.” Eddie retorted sarcastically.

Richie grabbed Eddie by the arm and stopped him, pulling him away from the center of the sidewalk and over to the side. “Eddie, is that what this is about? Are you pissed because you’re single and I’m getting major pussy? Are you jealous?”

Eddie stared Richie down, making direct, rage-filled eye contact. “Fuck you.” He said, starting to walk again, this time quickening his pace.

“Eds come on, I’m kidding! I didn’t mean for it to come out sounding like that. That was a totally douchy, pretentious thing to say, I’m sorry.”

“Whatever.” Eddie continued to press on, with Richie trailing behind him like a desperate dog.

“Eddie…Eddie slow the fuck down….Eddie, come on I wanna talk to you!” Richie pleaded in a playful way, making it evident that he wasn’t taking Eddie’s behavior and tone towards him seriously.

“Richie I don’t have time, I need to get to the store. My mom asked me to go get milk.”

“Oh, fuck your mom, Eddie.” Richie paused. “Like I did last night.”

“Jesus Christ, you are _such_ a shithead.”

“Alright, I’m sorry, I couldn’t help myself with that one. Can we please talk? I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever.”

“Richie, I just…” Eddie paused, stopping in his tracks on the sidewalk and turning to face Richie.

Eddie felt bad. Genuinely bad. But he knew there was no way for he and Richie to spend time together like they used to without him falling completely head over heels in love with him. As much as Eddie missed Richie jokingly picking him up and spinning him around, and sharing a bed with him when he slept over, he knew one of those moments would most definitely end in a kiss that he feared would destroy he and Richie’s friendship and ruin the dynamic of the entire Losers group. That was the last thing that Eddie wanted. So, for the sake of Richie, and for the sake of his friends, he took the difficult route.

“I need some space, okay? Some time alone. Some time to get used to myself and to…prepare myself for college in a few months. You know, get used to…not being with you guys all the time. As my friend I…I need you to respect that.”

Richie looked completely taken aback. “Eddie are you…are you fucking serious? I feel like you’re…breaking up with me right now.”

Eddie sighed. “I’ll see you Saturday, okay?” Eddie turned around and began walking again, feeling tears begin to well up in his eyes, refusing to look back at Richie.

“Eddie, are you serious dude?! Eddie!”

Eddie picked up his pace, feeling tears begin to roll down his cheeks, feeling frustrated and heartbroken.

________________________________________________________________

 

By the time Saturday rolled around, Eddie had wallowed in two full days of lovesick despair over Richie and over the way he had left things with him on Thursday. Eddie hadn’t spoken to any of the Losers since then, and found it hard to even have a simple exchange with his mother.

He felt like such an idiot for being so hung up on _Richie_ , of all people. I mean _Jesus_ , he was _Richie._ He was a disgusting ass hole and the only person who found his own jokes funny. He was loud, rude, crude, and could make a lifetime’s worth of penis jokes in just one minute. And goddamn if Eddie wasn’t in love with all of that.

Eddie felt his entire body tense up when he heard the honk from Bill’s car horn outside his house. He knew Richie would be driving Bev, Ben and Mike and normally, he would have tagged along without a second thought.

He felt that the current state of he and Richie’s relationship made carpooling with Bill and Stan the better option.

He quickly slid into the backseat of Bill’s ’91 Toyota, hastily slamming the door behind him. Both Stan and Bill give him questioning glances from the front.

“You alright bud?” Bill asked, an eyebrow raised.

“Fine.” Eddie added, refusing to look at either boy.

“You sure? We’ve all been kind of worried about you, you’ve been…I don’t know, off lately.” Stan added.

Eddie shook his head, crossing his arms across his chest. “There’s nothing to worry about. I’ve been fine. “

Bill and Stan exchanged glances.

“This doesn’t have anything to do with Richie, does it?” Eddie felt a pang in his chest as soon as Bill said his name. “He said you guys haven’t been talking or hanging out as much lately and that you kind of got pissed at him the other day and told him to give you space?”

Eddie knew his face had reddened significantly, but he kept his arms crossed and his gaze directed out the car window.

He didn’t answer immediately because he didn’t know what to say. _Of fucking course it’s because of Richie. It’s fucking always because of Richie because I’m fucking in love with that piece of shit_ , is what Eddie really wanted to say. But he couldn’t. At least not to Bill and Stan.

“I just…I’ve been trying to have more alone time, you know? So I can get used to how things will be come the fall, when I’m not with you guys all the time anymore. I told Richie that when I saw him the other day. It’s really not a big deal. Just trying to…beat the change before it beats me, I guess.”

“So you’re not…mad at Richie for something?”

 _Yes. I’m mad at him all the goddamn time for being such a stupid, smug, adorable fucking idiot and for making me fall for him._ Is what Eddie’s thoughts told him to say.

“No. I’m just…adjusting. Now can we just like…I don’t know, change the subject or listen to the radio or something?” Eddie prayed.

“Sure…” Bill stated, a hint of concern in his voice. With one hand on the steering wheel and one hand messing with the radio dial, they were off.

Eddie had elected to remain silent for the duration of the car ride.

 

________________________________________________________________

 

Eddie knew he wouldn’t be able to avoid Richie while at the park, so he fully prepped himself in the car ride over in advanced. Eddie, Bill and Stan had arrived earlier than the rest of the crew, so they opted to wait on a bench beside the front entrance to the park. It wasn’t long before Eddie could see Richie galloping towards them in a heinously bright, floral shirt, followed by Bev and Ben walking hand-in-hand, and Mike looking like the tired father to Richie’s excited child.

Normally, Richie would have run at Eddie, scooping him up and throwing him over his shoulder. He didn’t this time, and while Eddie was partly relieved, a part of him also missed that standard greeting.

“William, Stanley, Edward,” Richie began, greeting each boy with a pat on the head. “What are you gentlemen doing here on this fine evening?”

“Actually getting here on time, fuckwad. Now can we please get our tickets so we have time to go on more than one ride before the park closes?” Stan stated angrily.

“As you wish, dear.”

As the group began to proceed towards the ticket booth, Richie fell back in line, slowing his pace to match Eddie’s.

“Hey.”

It was the most ordinary greeting Eddie had ever received from Richie.

“Hi.” Eddie replied, refusing to look at him.

“So, uh…are we still doing this? This whole “space” thing? Even today?”

Eddie shrugged. “I mean I don’t have to go on any rides with you if I don’t want to.”

“But who’s gonna hold your hand when you get scared, or hold your hair back when you hurl?” Richie retorted with a smirk.

“Would it kill you to be serious for _one_ fucking second please?”

“Alright, Jesus, I’m sorry.”

“Look, I know you’re really excited about today so…whatever. I didn’t say I never wanted to see you again, just that I wanted some space.” Eddie clarified.

“So you’ll have fun? You’re not gonna act like some mopey little pussy bitch the entire time?”

“Of all the years you’ve known me, when have I ever had fun at a theme park? The crowds give me anxiety attacks and I get motion sick on the rides.”

Richie smiled. “There’s the Eds I know and love.”

“Don’t call me Eds, you dick.” Eddie called, trying not to get distracted by the feeling in his stomach that appeared after hearing Richie say love.


	2. Truth Is

Chapter 2

 

“The Tilt-A-Whirl, _yes!_ ” Richie shrieked, running towards the ride like an excited child, the rest of the Losers in tow. “Alright folks, who’s riding with who?”

“Ben and I HAVE to ride this one together. It’s the first ride we rode the first time we came here together. This one’s important to us.” Bev said, squeezing Ben’s hand and placing a small kiss on his lips.

“I’m sure as hell not riding with you. The last time I went on this with you we got thrown off the ride because you kept flipping off the kids in the cart behind us every time we spun around to face them.” Bill said to Richie.

“They deserved it! They were acting like little shits!”

“I’m not riding with you either. You kept trying to break the lap bar last time because you “just wanted to see what would happen”.” Mike said angrily.

“I’ve already risked my life with you once today on that fucking rollercoaster, I’m not doing it again. I’m riding with Bill and Mike.” Stan added.

Richie turned to Eddie, a grin slowly creeping up his face. “Looks like it’s you and me, Spaghetti Man.” He said, patting Eddie on the back.

“I swear to _God_ if I have to tell you not to touch me _one more time_ I will fucking smack you.”

“Mmm, kinky.” Richie said with a wink.

Eddie nearly choked and felt a sudden rush to his stomach and lower extremities, but managed to hide it with a swift nudge to Richie’s arm.

Fortunately, the line for the Tilt-A-Whirl wasn’t particularly long, so after a brief five-minute wait, the gang was filing onto the platform of the ride and selecting their carts.

“I call this one! Eds, let’s move!” Richie screamed, grabbing Eddie by the hand and dragging him over to the cart he was so eager to ride in.

Eddie tried not to focus on the sensation of Richie’s hand in his; how tightly he was grasping it, how soft it was, how it wasn’t nearly as sweaty as he thought it would be.

The two took their respective seats on the ride, and Eddie pulled the lap bar over their legs.  
“I don’t even wanna think about how many germs are on this thing. Or on this seat, too.” Eddie said, surveying cart with a look of apprehension.

“Not more than my hands, I’m sure.” Richie joked.

Eddie made a sound of disgust. “You’re sick.”

“Probably not as sick as you’re about to be.” Richie smirked as the ride slowly began to move.

The ride hadn’t started out bad and was running smoothly, and Eddie felt that maybe he would make it through this ride vomit-free.

Though it was one particular turn; one spin that was just too damn fast and too damn constant that hit Eddie. He felt the wave of nausea come over him, and one additional spin had the contents of his stomach nearly halfway up his esophagus.

He reached over and grabbed Richie’s hand, as if to warn him about what was to come. “Rich! Richie I’m gonna fucking puke!”

“What?!” Richie replied, unable to hear Eddie’s warning over the screams of excited riders and the rumbling of the ride itself.

“I need to get off Rich, I’m gonna be sick!” Eddie felt the ride slowing down and starting to come to a stop, but his need to exit the ride and vomit profusely did not.

“Shit, alright, well…the ride is stopping. Just…choke it down until we get off.”

Eddie felt his need to vomit increase after Richie’s charming suggestion, but was able to hold it back until they were off the ride. He ran to the trashcan adjacent to the guardrail where the line for the ride began, unable to keep down the contents of his stomach any longer.

In seconds, Richie was by his side, rubbing his back and scraping small pieces of hair away from his forehead.

The other Losers approached, immediately expressing their concern for Eddie.

“Ah shit, poor Eddie.” Bill said.

“The Tilt-A-Whirl did him dirty, huh?” Ben asked, mildly cringing as he watched Eddie violently vomiting into the trashcan.

“He’ll be alright, he just needs some water and a little break.” Richie said, rubbing small circles around Eddie’s back.

“Stop talking about me like I’m not standing right here!” Eddie said wearily, wiping his mouth.

“Why don’t you guys go off and do some more rides, I’ll stay with Eds.”

“Don’t call-,” Eddie started, before he was hit with another round of vomiting.

“You sure? You’re the one who really wanted to come tonight, I don’t mind staying with Eddie.” Beverly added, glancing at Eddie with a look of pity.

“Yeah, same here.” Mike chimed in.

“I’m not a child. You guys can all go off, I’m fine on my own. This isn’t the first time I’ve puked at an amusement park.” Eddie said.

“Hey, no, I’m the reason he’s puking, I’ll stay with him. You guys go ahead.” Richie said.

The crew exchanged glances with one another. “You’re sure?” Stan said.

“Yes. Now go! Go have fun! Bev and Ben, go bang on the Ferris wheel! Bill, Stan, Mike go have a big gay threesome in the funhouse!”

“Fuck off.” Stan said, shoving Richie before starting to walk off, prompting the others to follow.

“Let us know if you need anything. Come find us when you’re ready.” Bill added, trailing behind Stan, followed by Beverly, Ben and Mike.

“What do we say we go get you some water and a place to sit, huh?” Richie said to Eddie, placing a hand on his back.

“You didn’t have to stay here. You could have gone with them.”

“I’m the only one who’s allowed to nurse you back to health, you know that.” Richie smiled.

Eddie opened his mouth to say something, then closed it. He had no reason to be mad at Richie in this moment. No reason to be snarky. No reason to tell him off to go be on his own.

And that killed Eddie.

“Thanks.”

Eddie could sense Richie smirking over him. “Well would you look at that. He does know how to be nice to me.”

Eddie nudged the other boy, traces of a smile playing at his lips. “Let’s go get some water. And for the love of God don’t rub my back again. It was weird. “ Eddie lied.

“Please, I know you were into it.”

_Of course I was, don’t make a big deal of it, now shut the fuck up ass hole._

“Come on, idiot.”

________________________________________________________________

 

“What do we think? Should we end with our ceremonial riding of the Ferris wheel?” Bev said, once again surveying the crowd.

“Yeahhhh, I’m sitting this one out. I don’t do heights, you guys know that.” Mike said, slowly backing up to the bench behind him and falling back onto it.

“Benjamin dear, we had so much fun the last time we rode this together. Shall we again, for old time’s sake?” Richie spoke.

Ben glared at Richie. “Oh, you mean the time where you continuously shook the cart back and forth and got us thrown off?” Ben said, crossing his arms.

“What is with you and getting thrown off of rides?” Stan questioned.

“Well ex-fucking-cuse me if I like to shake things up every once and a while! Not my fault the Ferris wheel is boring as hell.”

“I’m riding with Bev.” Ben said, taking the redhead’s hand.

Richie turned to the other three boys, his face expectant. “Well?”

“You already know what my answer is.” Stan said, his expression unmoving.

“Billy? We’ve only rode one ride together so far today, you owe me this one.”

“I owe you nothing, dumbass. And I’m not getting thrown off another ride with you. I’m riding with Stan.”

Richie raised an eyebrow. “ _Another_ ride with Stan? Jesus Bill, if I didn’t know any better I’d say you were trying to bone dear Stanley.”

This elicited a chorus of groans from the other Losers.

“That joke’s getting pretty stale, Rich.” Ben commented.

“Maybe to you.” Richie muttered.

He turned his attention over to Eddie. “One for the road, Edward?”

Eddie crossed his arms and rolled his eyes. “Fine.”

The crew headed for the ride, hustling between the guardrail and into the line.

Eddie attempted to get his mind off of the potential scenarios that could take place between he and Richie alone on a Ferris wheel together. The Ferris wheel was where every “will-they-won’t-they” couple in a teen movie ended up. It was the moment in the film where the couple was forced to admit their feelings for each other, and where they would share a heated, long-awaited kiss.

Eddie shook his head, pushing this vision away. He wasn’t in a teen movie; he was in the real world, where his love for Richie was unrequited, and where his Ferris wheel ride would most likely be filled with awkward silence and snarky back-and-forth remarks, rather than a heated kiss.

He had been so wrapped up in his thoughts that Eddie hadn’t realized that he and Richie were next in line to get onto the Ferris wheel. The ride made a few rounds, before finally stopping and letting three carts-worth of riders off.

“In we go, darling!” Richie said happily to Eddie, stepping into the Ferris wheel cart, followed by an annoyed Eddie.

Eddie went to sit on the seat across from Richie, but was quickly stopped. Richie grabbed Eddie by the arm and pulled him down into the seat next to him.

“What the hell?” Eddie asked, confused.

“As much as I love looking at your beautiful face, it would ruin the view. Look, now we can both see in front of us.”

“All you can see is the other Ferris wheel carts, dumbfuck.”

“Shhhh, don’t ruin it.”

Eddie intended to remain silent for the majority of the ride, planning to ignore whatever crude comments or conversations Richie would inevitably bring up.

Much to Eddie’s surprise, it seemed as if Richie had the same idea. Neither of them said much, and neither even gave the other so much as a passing glance. The ride made it around twice, finally making one of it’s many stops to let more riders on. Richie and Eddie’s cart had conveniently stopped at the peak of the ride, at the very top.

A few painfully silent minutes passed, the ride still unmoving, with Richie and Eddie both paying no mind to the other.

Finally, after a hushed three minutes (which felt like an eternity), Richie spoke.

“Man I wish I had something to throw at Mike right now. I have the perfect aim from here.” He said, looking over the edge of the Ferris wheel and down at a rather disinterested-looking Mike, sitting alone on the bench.

“I’m really fucking glad you don’t.” Eddie replied.

“Nothing _hard_ , you know? Just like…some food, or something.”

Eddie rolled his eyes, refusing to reply.

Another few agonizing seconds of silence passed between the two boys, save for the sound of Richie repeatedly tapping his foot.

Eddie tried to ignore the sound at first, figuring the ride would start moving soon and it would stop Richie. But another few minutes went by, with the ride staying put and Richie still tapping, and Eddie had reached his breaking point.

“Can you stop, please? It’s bad enough that I’m stuck up here with you as is, I don’t need a soundtrack to accompany it.”

Richie swung his head around to face Eddie, his expression furious. Eddie had never seen Richie in this state before. “Alright, what the _fuck_ is your problem?! Why are you being such a dick to me? Did I do something to you? Did I piss you off? Huh?”

Eddie had never seen Richie so legitimately filled with anger before. He was almost scared. He didn’t think Richie was capable of producing any emotion aside from happy, nevertheless produce it so intensely.

Eddie felt angry. Angry at Richie, for being angry at him. He felt unhinged, uncomfortable. He felt sad, hurt, and lovelorn. And he fucking hated that.

He might not ever know for sure, but Eddie assumed it was the unusual range of emotions flowing through him all at once that possessed him to say what he said next.

“I’m fucking in love with you, you idiot! I have been since we were 14! And I know you don’t feel the same way and that’s a _really_ fucking hard pill to swallow, so yeah, I am kind of pissed. I’m pissed because I’ve wasted the last four years being in love with you and having fucking wet dreams over you for nothing. Happy?”

The last thing Eddie saw was Richie’s deer-in the-headlights expression staring back at him before he found himself tangled in a kiss with the other boy.

The kiss was short, simple and soft, and had Eddie not been so shocked that _Richie_ had been the one that initiated it he may have actually appreciated it more. They broke apart, and Eddie made direct eye contact with Richie, having experienced far too many emotions in the past two minutes than any one human should experience in that short amount of time.

“Beep beep, ass hole.” Is what he responded with, fairly emotionless, still reeling.

Richie reached over and grabbed Eddie’s hand, lacing their fingers together.

“You fucker. You honestly didn’t think I felt the same way?”

“How the fuck was I supposed to know? You never gave any indication. You always talk about banging chicks.”

There was a beat as Richie ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “There was one chick. Once. And it sucked because I couldn’t stop thinking about you the entire time. I’ve always loved you I just…never knew how to say it. I’m not good with that kind of shit, Eds, you know that.”

Eddie felt a huge, stupid grin come across his face. “You couldn’t stop thinking about me? I’m honored.” He said, resting his head on the other boy’s chest.

“ _You’re_ honored? I’m the one who’s apparently been the star in your sex dreams. I feel like a celebrity.”

Eddie felt himself blush. “I knew I was going to regret telling you that.”

Richie wrapped his arm around Eddie’s shoulder, pulling him closer, Eddie’s head still rested on his chest. “I mean hey, if you ever want to make those dreams a reality, just let me know.”

Eddie felt a tingling sensation in his stomach, and felt his face grow even redder. “Jesus, Rich.”

Richie squeezed Eddie, pulling him closer. “No use in pretending like we aren’t gonna bang eventually, right?”

“You’re a fucking fool.”

“Yes, but a fool who loves you.”

Eddie squeezed Richie back. “Love you too, ass hole.”

It hadn’t occurred to Eddie that the Ferris wheel hadn’t moved the entire time he and Richie had been having their confessional. The two remained in their respective positions, cuddling and watching the lights of the park surrounding them, both of the reveling in the fact that they could finally have and enjoy this moment.

“Hey…do you think Mike can see us?” Richie asked, looking down at Eddie.

Eddie found himself laughing, tugging at Richie’s shirt. “You know what? I’ve been hiding for four years. I don’t really give a fuck is Mike sees us.”

Richie leaned down and planted a kiss on the top of Eddie’s head. “That’s the spirit, Spaghetti Man.”

“So I suppose our… _upgrade_ …doesn’t mean you’ll stop calling me stupid names?” Eddie asked, hopeful.

Richie chuckled. “Ohhhh, Eddie. You poor, naïve soul. This means pet names, my dear.”

Eddie sighed. “Wonderful.”

“Well…,” Richie began, peeking over the side of their Ferris wheel cart. “Since the ride hasn’t moved in a _solid_ 10 minutes or so, I’m gonna say it’s a safe bet that we’re stuck.”

“That would be our luck, huh?” Eddie said, peering up at the taller boy.

“So…just a suggestion, but uh…do you wanna make out until we have to get off the ride? You know, just to pass the time?” Richie said, a sly grin on his face.

Eddie inched his face closer to the dark-haired boy, a seductive smile on his face. “Come here, jerk.” He said, pressing his lips to Richie’s.

_Fin_


End file.
